1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a container, and more particularly, to a decorative container with an applicator , such as for nail polish.
2. Description of Related Art
Many containers for holding many different types of substances are known. Some containers, for example, are designed to hold a cosmetic composition, such as nail polish. Such containers generally include a cap, a brush coupled to the cap, and a bottle for accommodating the brush therein. The cap is adapted to cooperate with the bottle. In a closed position, the brush is within the bottle and can contact the contents (i.e., nail polish) of the bottle.
Some of such containers are configured so that the bottle and cap are substantially vertical during use. When the user removes the cap and extracts the brush, the brush has adequate nail polish on it to apply to the nails. Another variety of such containers has a flat bottom surface and an angled surface, such as a container known as the xe2x80x9cTilt-A-Maticxe2x80x9d bottle. When this container is resting on a flat bottom surface, the bottle is in a substantially vertical position. When this container is resting on an angled surface, the bottle is in a tilted position that makes dispensing the nail polish purportedly neater and more professional.
Yet other containers are formed of pliant materials so that they can be squeezed to dispense the contents. Such containers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 246,509 entitled xe2x80x9cToothpaste Tubexe2x80x9d and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 191,146 entitled xe2x80x9cCollapsible Dispensing Tube.xe2x80x9d In contrast, nail polish containers are not formed of pliant materials since, instead of being squeezed to dispense the contents, a brush is used to dispense and apply the contents of the container.
A manufacturer of cosmetics is always keen for new design ideas that help to distinguish the manufacturer""s product from those of others. Normally, such ideas focus on designing distinctive product packaging and trademarks.
Containers for cosmetics such as nail polish, by and large, have the appearance of a plain glass bottle into which the brush applicator is inserted. The brush is attached to a cap that screws onto the bottle. Although the shape of the bottle and the shape of the cap can take various forms (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. Des. 155,043 and 180,715), the notion of shaping the cap and bottle of, e.g., a nail polish container to resemble another common item or product is believed to be unique.
The present invention was developed with the above-noted general object in mind.
The invention is a container with a cap, an applicator, and a bottle, where the cap and the bottle are shaped to simulate a cone and ice cream, respectively. Preferably, the applicator is coupled to the cap, and the bottle selectively receives the applicator.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the bottle further includes nail polish. According to one aspect of the present invention the applicator is a brush.
In yet another embodiment, the bottle further includes a neck portion adapted to cooperate with the cap. Preferably in such an embodiment, the neck portion further includes a threaded portion for cooperating with the cap.
According to another aspect of the invention, the bottle may be configured to simulate melting ice cream. According to yet another aspect of the invention, the container during use simulates an ice cream cone that has an inverted position. Such as, when the ice cream in the cone is located on a surface, such as when dropped on the ground or placed on a plate, table, etc. As a result, the scoop of ice cream (simulated by the bottle) is positioned under the cone (simulated by the cap).
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the inventive container comprises a cap, an applicator, and a bottle. The cap includes a cap outer surface with a cap pattern. The cap pattern simulates an ice cream cone pattern. The applicator is coupled to the cap, and the bottle receives the applicator. Additionally, the bottle includes a bottle outer surface with a bottle pattern. The bottle pattern simulates a scoop of ice cream and is different from the cap pattern.
In one embodiment of such container, the cap pattern includes a network of projections. In another embodiment, the bottle pattern may simulate a scoop of melting ice cream.
According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the container comprises a cap configured to simulate an ice cream cone, an applicator coupled to the cap, and a bottle. The bottle receives the applicator, and includes a bottle outer surface configured to simulate a scoop of ice cream. The bottle outer surface includes at least one surface portion for maintaining the container in a resting position. Furthermore, the bottle configured to simulate a scoop of ice cream is positioned below the cap configured to simulate an ice cream cone. As a result, the container during use simulates an ice cream cone where the ice cream in the cone has been located on a surface in an inverted position, such as when placed on a plate, dropped on the ground, or the like.